on the wings of a raven
by nagagoo
Summary: alex was geneticly inhanced, jack was killed, and its bens job to take care of the broken kid
1. Chapter 1

Alex was lying in a bed in the lab of MI6. Alex had been sent on a mission and not just any mission it was to a center in India in which MI6 believed that there was genetic testing going on. And of course they sent Alex in. of course MI6s hypothesis was indeed correct. Only Alex became the experiment. He was genetically modified to have dark black raven wings. Alex was lying on his stomach so his wings could stretch along his back. He looked like an angel that had fallen. He had scars all over and cuts. Right now Alex was given meds to sleep. Alex was rescued only after they had genetically 'enhanced' him. Bones had been graphed to his spine and then it had grown from that. Alex was in constant pain the wings were heavy and trying to stand with the extra wait was almost impossible. Naturally no one could know about this that's why he was in the lab. Although much to his relief they didn't want to run any tests or anything "we pretty much know how it happened" one of them said. Ms. Jones had already told Ben what was up. Because Ben was to be his new guardian.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi guys it me the dark angel! Yes I know the story's sad… for whatever reason I love sad stories! Is that wrong? Anyway review! Also umm Alex is a little OOC but that's probably cut I gave him PTSD.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Alex Rider, I wish I did but I don't just fan fiction

Ben sat by Alex's bed in the lab. Alex's black feathery wings were folded into his back and were not visible. He hadn't been told the whole story but he was told that Alex was mutated. He was told that Alex had been abandoned by everyone even his guardian. _Poor boy _he thought and ben ran his hand through his sandy hair and sighed and put his head in his hands at what this child had been put through. First he was recruited by MI6 after his uncle was shot. MS jones had told him that the mission Alex was on was the 8th this year! Alex was after all only 14. _Was he going to be used for a mission again? _ The thought ran through bens mind**. NO** he decided he would not let this child be put through this again.

Ben was to Alex's guardian but the problem was ben didn't live alone… he lived with Eagle, Snake and Wolf. They shared a flat. After all they were a team and cub was part of that team. Jeez he hadn't told them yet that he had agreed to be the kid's guardian. After all the whole team besides himself still thought cub was a spoiled brat who was sent to the SAS by his rich Daddy. Of course Alex had handled training well. Between RTI and shooting they had to admit the kid was good. He decided once Alex woke up that they would discuss telling the team that he was staying with him. He heard a groan from the bed next to him.

"Alex!" ben stood up suddenly almost knocking the armchair over in the process.

"Mmm" the kid stretched his arm to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "Ben?" Alex had recognized the voice instantly and sat bolt upright opening his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Not to be rude but why are you here?" ben laughed at the sleepy child next to him.

"Didn't MI6 tell you I'm your new guardian" ben said cheerfully. He liked Alex and didn't mind taking care of him. But would the K-unit care? He would worry about that when he brought Alex home tonight.

"That's right… jack…" the kid said his eyes filled with tears and he tried holding them in.

"Alex, it's alright sometimes you have to cry" ben said he could see right through Alex's façade of toughness. And with that Alex burst into tears and ben went over and gave him a hug and held him while he sobbed. He noticed when he hugged Alex something under his PJs… could this be his mutation ben thought to himself. Than shook the thought away and focused on calming Alex.

After a while Alex calmed. There was a knock on the door. Alex sat back in his bed with the pillow propping him up. The door opened and a man probably in his mid-thirty's with shaggy brown hair came in carrying a folder and a chart.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Sean, I have been looking out for Alex and it's my job to inform his new guardian of how to take care of him, and I assume that would be you" he gestured a hand in bens direction.

"Yes" ben said.

"Well first I will give you the information on Alex's mutation" Alex looked at ben a fear in his eyes. Than spoke

"Ben promises me you won't leave me" he whispered. This kid was so broken.

"Alex I promise I will never leave you." Ben said. He looked at Alex. Alex must have seen what he wanted in bens eyes and nodded at Sean to continue.

"I understand a medic lives with you?" the man said glancing at ben.

"Yes he does"

"I want you to give him Alex's file, if anything were to go wrong even if Alex gets a cold I want him to be prepared to take care of this child, he must know everything" ben nodded "ok so I will just drop the bomb, I think it will be best." He looked at Alex for approval to continue and the boy nodded. "Well on one of his missions, at a genetic testing plant in India they decided to use Alex as an experiment and injected him with bird DNA in the disks in his back, over time... well Alex why don't you ah show him." The doctor walked over to Alex and ales cheeks turned slightly pink as he raised his arms and the doctor had to help him out of his shirt. His chest still faced ben so couldn't see the wings that were folded into his back.

"Holy shit is that a bullet wound! Cub why didn't you tell me! Damn MI6" ben was mad and you could tell.

"Its ok ben I got it about 3 months ago" he said calmly

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OK" ben roared. "I'm sorry Alex I'm not mad at you just mad someone shot you and I'm mad at myself for letting it happen" ben said. "But umm this isn't the issue at hand so what is it?" ben said calmly. And Alex turned around slowly and flexed his long black wings so they spread apart.

"Alex…" ben was silent for a minute taking them in.

"You're going to leave me right?" tears sprung into Alex's eyes. Ben saw this and empathy flooded through him.

"Alex why would I ever leave you this" he gestured to Alex's wings "means nothing to me, you are Alex Rider and that's all I care about" Alex burst into tears and hugged ben vigorously.

"Ok so heres what you have to know"


	3. Chapter 3

"ok so here is what you have to know" the doctor said. "Alex is pretty light because of a bird bone structure and malnutrition, however his muscles also got weaker and Alex can barely stand without support yet alone walk, we have a wheel chair for him but depending on the situation you might have to carry him, he weighs about 80 pounds right now. I'm sure you can handle that" Sean looked at Ben and Ben nodded. Alex wasn't happy he wanted to be able to do things himself without needing constant help. It made him feel weak. "Ben, Alex has frequent nightmares and occasional flashbacks I expect you to help him through that" Alex shot Sean a glare, this was something he didn't was to be shared. But Ben was going to find out anyway so not much use lying. "his wings are also painful to him, so we have him on pain killers one a day in the morning, now I will let you guys talk for a little, Alex I will see you before you leave tonight"

"So Alex you know I live with the k-unit right" Ben asked.

"Yes"

"Good, but they don't know about you. I don't know when I will tell them about... Well… that… but I think the sooner the better. I should call them and tell them that you're living with me though." Alex nodded

_line break_

Ben was standing outside Alex's room and dug his phone out of his pocket and went to his contact and dialed home. Four rings than a pickup.

"Sup" Ben recognized the voice.. snake.

"ummm snake, so is everyone in the room?" Ben asked he didn't want to have to repeat this.

"Yeah were all watching wipeout why?" snake asked, ben could just see him narrowing his eyes.

"Turn off the TV and put the phone on speaker" Ben said

"kay" he could hear shouts of complaints when snake turned off the TV. He clicked speaker.

"so guys Ben wants to say something to us all" he heard more groans than a shout

"this better be good Ben!" he heard wolf yell.

"ok so how do I start?" ben mused just to annoy everyone.

"from the beginning" he heard eagle grumble.

"alright, so remember when I said that today I was going to be helping out a friend? Well it turns out its going to be more than today, he is going to be living with us"

"fox! You know that we are sworn to secrecy right?" snake said

"well hers the thing. Remember cub from Breacon Becons? Ya well its cub" he said just dropping the bomb. And letting the chips fall where they may.

"Cub! You mean that spoiled rich kid whose daddy sent him there?" wolf growled. Ben wanted to yell back at him but he remembered that he thought the same thing.

"Shut up about him you don't know what he's got!" Ben snapped but he didn't mean to.

"so whys the brat living with us, where are his parents?" he sneered. They just didn't get it did they.

"Dead and so are all living relatives! Don't you get it! His guardian just abandoned him! And his parents didn't send him to Breacon Becons MI6 did!" he said all that without one breath and now was panting.

"We… we didn't know" eagle said.

"I know I'm sorry but thinking about what this kid has been through makes me pissed" Ben said feeling guilty now.

"So when is he moving in?"

"Tonight"

"Tonight!" all three men shouted at the same time.

"Yes I was going to suggest you order pizza since nobody but me can cook and in will be home at seven" Ben hug up. And back at the flat the men's mouths were hanging open. Tonight? Everything was a mess!

"Snake clean the spare room"

"Eagle vacuum.. Everywhere"

"I will do the dishes" he stared at the enormous amount of dirty dishes piled in the sink. This would take some time.

_line break_

"Alex ready to go" Ben said Alex was sitting on his bed. His wings were once again tucked into a t-shirt and he was in plaid PJ bottoms. He nodded. the doctor walked in and handed ben a folder.

"this is everything you need to know about alex" he said. He turned to the young boy sitting with his legs hanging off the bed. Sean knealed down.

"alex be good no drugs" alex laughed at this than nodded and the doctor ruffled his hair. He turned to leave but looked back at ben.  
"take care of him no one ever has" he said quickly and left. Ben stared at the wheel chair next to alex's bed.

"so how are we gonna do this?" he looked at the boy on the bed for an answer.

" I can usually manage to do it myself if I put my arm around someones shoulder" alex said shyly. Ben moved close to the bed and alex draped his arm around bens shoulders. Ben lifted off his knees and alex slowly slid off the bed. He stood up most of his wait supported by ben. He took one shaky step torwards the chair. After a second step he was tired. One more step alex said to himself. He lifted up his right foot…

His legs buckled. He slipped to the ground. Ben wasn't fast enough. He fell. Alex looked down at himself slumped on the ground.

"I really can do anything anymore can I?" he whispered looking at Ben. Ben just bended down hugged the boy than put his hands under Alex's armpits and lifter the boy like a child and put him in the chair.

"alex you will get stronger and I will help you" ben pushed the chair out of the room and to the Nissan outside.


	4. Chapter 4

So guys I'm going to start a sound track to the story so u can listen while reading for this chapter it will be everything from pop to rock to country in languages from English to German to Japanese to French.

Safe and sound by Taylor swift

Careful by Paramore

Si dues me relinquit from black butler (for anyone who know what this is I will love u forever, I 3 ciel)

Break

Ben lifts Alex out of his wheelchair like a child and puts him in the back of his car. Alex feeling hopeless and depressed has no reaction and is like a rag doll in his hands. No emotion just blank. Ben sighs and looks at the boy. _I have never seen someone so broken_ thought Ben as he got into the drivers seat.

Break

When they get to the house. Ben gets the chair out of the trunk and lifts a broken Alex into it. Then he kneels down.

"Alex come on look at me. Talk to me! Anything!" Ben begs. And Alex looks up.

"I'm sorry" he whispers.

"Alex it's not your fault. None of this was your fault. It's ok now. You will be ok. I will take Care of you. All of the k-unit will." Ben hugs Alex and he hugs back much to bens relief.

"Ready to go?" Alex nods and Ben smiles and pushes him into the house.

Inside wolf, eagle and snake were sitting on the couch once again watching Wipeout.

"Come on you can do it!"

"Eagle! Shut up!" both snake and wolf yelled and eagle sunk into his seat and pouted. Snake just rolled his eyes. They heard the door open.

"Fox!" they all scrambled to get up and see fox and cub. Alex was feeling shy. After all he didn't want to be seen in a wheelchair by members of the SAS that was like level 10 humiliations. Ben sensing Alex's tenseness rubbed his shoulder with one hand. Alex flinched; his back was starting to hurt. All three SAS men ran in. They stopped dad when they saw the boy in the wheel chair. There was silence for a few minutes and eagle was the first to recover.

"So umm we have pizza" he said and that got everyone to smile. They started towards the kitchen when Ben realized that the whole house was carpet and his chair wouldn't work.

"Umm guys wait a second" Ben said, all the men turned around. "Alex's chair won't work on carpet." Ben said. The men looked down at Alex who was feeling self-conscious. Ben reached down and picked up the boy. Everyone except Alex and Ben broke into laughter. Alex shot daggers at them.

"Sorry cub you just look so cute like that bridal style in fox's arms" eagle broke into laughter again.

"Come on guys, enough he has been through enough" Ben said. The men calmed down and they made their way into the newly cleaned kitchen and Ben put Alex down on the chair. They all sat down.

"So uhh cub how did you get to be in a wheelchair?" wolf asked taking a bite of pizza.

"Classified" Alex said.

"So how many missions have you been on?" eagle asked.

"Classified"

"So is there anything you can tell us?" snake asked.

"I can tell you anything. I just won't" Alex said. Everyone was silent. Until Ben noticed Alex hadn't eaten anything.

"Come on Alex you have to eat" Ben said pleading. Snake looked at Alex's plate where the piece of pizza still sat untouched.

"He right" snake said methodically. Alex just shook his head.

"I want to get up now" Alex said. No one moved.

"Fine be that way" Alex put his hand on the seat and lifted himself and planted his feet on the ground closed his eyes and pulled the wait to his feet. Still holding onto the chair he put one foot in front of the other. Then his knees gave out. THUMP. He fell to the ground. The whole team got up and was kneeling next to him. He looked up at Ben than dropped his head. Tears leaked out of his eyes despite his best efforts to keep them in. Ben bent down and picked up the boy once again this time Alex curled into bens chest hiding his tear striped face.

Ben took Alex to the spare room and put him on his bed. He held Alex till he calmed.

"Your safe here" Ben said holding the crying boy.

"Now I have to go get snake, we have to tell him everything remember?"

Snake, what if he leaves? What if he... what if he hates me?" Alex asked looking up at Ben that sighed and sat next to the trembling boy.

"He won't ok. He will never abandon a team mate in need, now I need to get him so he can check you over before you go to bed" Ben said getting up off Alex's bed. Leaving Alex there scared for what's to come.

Ben walked out to find snake. At the table there were three very confused SAS members.

"Snake will you came with me? As you know Alex has been injured and you agreed you would check over him" Ben said monotone.

"Right, let me just grab his chart and my bag." Snake said and he left to get his things.

"So what was all that with Alex about?" wolf said gruffly.

"Alex has had a very hard life and he's been recently diagnosed with PTSD, and everything that has happened is catching up to him." Ben said. "I don't know the details hopefully he will tell us at some point but I don't want to push him." The unit nodded and snake reappeared.

"Let's go" they walked into Alex's new room. He was sitting on the bed playing a Gameboy.

"Alex?"

"Hmm"

"Snakes here" Alex tore his gaze from the videogame in his hand. Tears suddenly appeared in his eyes.

"I don't want you to leave me too" he said looking down in his lap somewhat embarrassed about his feelings.

"Leave you? Why would I?" snake said dropping to Alex's level. Ben sat in the chair next to Alex's desk.

"Cuz I'm a freak" he whispered.

"Cub, no matter what has happened. I guarantee I will still be here for you kiddo." He said ruffling Alex's hair. Ben got up.

"So Alex do you want to…" he let the sentence drop off.

"Yes" Alex whispered and put his arms up so Ben could help him take off his t-shirt. Alex winced as the shirt was being pulled at.

"Sorry" Ben said and tugged again. This time Alex whimpered.

"Ok this isn't going to work" Ben said letting the shirt down to cover Alex again. "Snake by any chance do you have scissors in your medic bag?"

"Yeah" he dug around his bag and brought up a pair of scissors. "Here" he handed them to Ben. And returned his gaze to Alex. Snake was curious to see what was going on. Ben started cutting up Alex's shirt to take in off… the fabric fell to the floor. Letting Alex's folded wings unfold. The boy grimaced as they did so. Snake gasped and took a step back at this moment he didn't see the damage the wings were hiding. Than much to Alex's surprise he recovered quickly and took a step forward.

"C-can… I t-touch them?" snake whispered. Alex nodded and snake got closer and petted down the feathery wing.

"Wow" he said. Then he looked up at Alex "how?" Alex looked down and started the story in a whisper.

"I was sent to investigate this plant in India for genetic testing and they found out. Not only did they find out I was a spy they… they wanted more information. They took me to a cell" Alex's voice cracked a little "and they tortured me for information" tears were dripping down Alex's face. He remembered the pain so much pain…

"_So little boy who sent you here?" a big bulky man said sneering in Alex's direction. Who was tied to a chair?_

"_That's classified" _

"_You're going to wish it wasn't" the man said he was smiling as he uncoiled the whip from his belt. Alex closed his eyes as the man brought it up…_

_Blood. _

_Pain._

_Suffering._

"And then he…" Alex was choking on his tears and put his in his hands. Ben ran up and put Alex on his lap and rubbed his back.

"Shh, you're safe now. No one will hurt you. Shhhhh" Alex held onto bens t-shirt and sobbed into the older man's chest. Snake stood shocked by what he heard and even more what he was seeing. This was cub the kid who survived the SAS, who held his own. It was a heartbreaking new sight to see such a strong boy reduced to so little. "Your not in India anymore cub" his breath was getting faster and shakes came on.

"Ben He is having a panic attack put him on the bed and let me look" snake was in medic mode. Ben put Alex on the bed. He was gasping for air. Snake held him down.

"Cub listen your alright now! Shhhh" snake held him down and Alex's breaths become more even. And the boy tired himself out and fell asleep


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - You guys have no freakin idea how sorry I am… oh my god! And you guys have been super nice too! I kept on telling myself I would get back to the story but life is life. I have try outs for record labels and I'm currently in a musical. I'm writing music now for an indie cd and I'm working on publishing a book. I know that's no excuse… but hey I'm back. At least I'm not abandoning the story right? Btw I was listening to the les mis soundtrack while doing this. If you guys haven't seen it… you must! I started crying in the movie and didn't stop.**

**Soundtrack:**

**-Empty chairs and Empty tables**

**- So Long by Jenny Owen Young's**

Snake looked at the boy on bed. He decided he would check the boys wounds tomorrow, it's better to let the boy rest he thought. He covered Cub with the thick quilt and smiled stiffly. He and ben walked out of the room shutting the door quietly after them.

"So he's had a pretty hard life…" snake commented. Ben just nodded in agreement.

"I will leave you with his folder to read over tonight" ben said handing over the yellow folder given to him by Sean. Snake grimaced and took it. Ben went to sit down with the rest of the unit at the table.

"What's up ben? Is cub okay?" Wolf asked concern evident in his eyes. Ben simply shook his head sadly.

"Too much at one time" he whispered.

"Damnit!" he suddenly yelled. "Why a kid! look what MI6 freaking did? They ruined a kid's childhood!" ben was yelling something very unusual for his calm collected character he so often portrayed. Ben shut his eyes in distress. Eagle patted him on the head as the man sank into the leathery chair in the family room.

Wolf and eagle sunk down in the couch opposite as snake came in with his glasses on looking especially studious while reading Alex's file. He looked lost in thought as he plopped down between wolf and eagle.

"So what is wrong with the kid besides the obvious I mean?" eagle asked. Ben thought about what he could say while not revealing Alex's secret.

"He has a back injury as well as lacerations from one of his missions" snake cut in. ben was grateful as snake sounded smooth in his lie. "I cannot tell you the details however" he said pushing the glasses up his nose. The men nodded.

"So he's pretty alone huh?" wolf said.

"Yeah" ben said sadly. The unit grimaced as though they had a bad taste in their mouths. They were startled out of their thoughts as a scream pierced through the air of the flat. The whole unit jumped to their feet. Ben and snake looked at each other.

"Wolf, eagle you need to stay here" snake said leaving no room for argument. Ben and snake raced to Alex's room, bursting through the doors to see Alex caught in a nightmare tangled in his sheets. His black wings were spread out and uselessly shaking. Without saying a word snake restrained the boy as ben went to comfort him.

He sat down on the edge of Alex's bed stroking his head.

"Alex… wake up… it's only a dream. Your safe here." Ben said soothingly. The tension in the boys face seemed to listen as his eye lids tried opening.

"Ben…" said the raspy voice of the teenager. Ben smiled and wiped tears from the boy's face. "Your safe here Alex." He said stoking the strands of sweat soaked hair out of his face. Snake let go of the boy and took his place next to ben.

**And… I leave you with that. I'm evil aren't I? here. See you soon. I promise!**


End file.
